Forget About Gin – This Is The New Spirit We’ll All Be Drinking On A Night Out

Ordering the same drink every single weekend is grand n’ all, but don’t you want to try something a little bit different? A little more, shall we say, exotic?

Oh yes. Of course you do you sesh cretin.

This is where a glorious spirit that hails all the way from South America – Peru to be exact, although Chile also claims host to the drink – comes into play. You’ll be singing the praises of ‘Pisco’ before the month is through, 100%.

Pisco is a colourless or yellowish-to-amber colored brandy, which means its been fermented from grapes and is produced in Peru in copper stills. It’s bottled at its natural strength too, coming in at about 40% – pretty hefty.

Ok… But what does it taste like?

Peruvian pisco can actually be made from eight different grapes, including aromatic and non-aromatic styles, so the flavours vary quite a lot, but do all have one thing in common: It always goes down smoother than it smells.

Most Piscos have fruity, appley-but-not-so-sweet notes, and can be drinken straight or as a mixed drink.

If you like whiskey or tequila, then you will LOVE this, as it’s sort of like a less harsh version of the two. 

I first came across Pisco based cocktails in Tulum in Mexico, and ever since then I’ve thought of it as the ultimate summer spirit.

What Pisco cocktail should I order?

There’s loaaaads of different jazzed-up cocktails and funky ways to mix this spirit, but there’s four main classics that you should defo start working your way through.

The Pisco Sour

2 ounces pisco
1 ounce fresh lime juice
1 ounce simple syrup
1 ounce egg white
Angostura bitters

Pisco Punch

2 ounces pisco
1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice
3/4 ounce pineapple simple syrup 
3/4 ounce simple syrup
1 dash orange bitters